Dhaka, Oct 29 (IANS): Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that a student leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) beat and hacked a policeman Amirul Islam to death after pelting stones on the road during the BNP's general meeting as they before in 2014.

He made this statement after visiting the injured policemen at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday evening.

The Home Minister said, "BNP announced that they will bring one million people to the rally today (October 29). They informed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman that on one side they will stay up to Nightengale Junction and on the other side till Fakirapool. But I saw that they came to the Chief Justice's residence. A procession of Awami League was going there. They attack them. Not only did they attack, they set fire to two pick-up vans. Then broke the gate of the Chief Justice's residence and entered. The police could no longer remain silent. The police did their job."

"Every now and then they (BNP supporters) threw stones and started fire. The cocktail is exploding. They are all carrying sticks. Three cars were set on fire inside the Diploma Engineering Institute. There too the police dealt with patience. Rajarbagh police also set fire to Lines Hospital. The ambulance was set on fire there including several public and private buildings. Jajez set fire to the complex."

Referring to the killing of policeman Amirul Islam, the Home Minister said, "The policeman was brutally hacked to death. Throwing stones at first, when he fell, a student leader brutally beat him. He was hacked with a 'chapati' and his head was injured. This scene has created a scar in all of our hearts. One of their announcements was that they would make a mess, as they did in 2014. But our policemen have dealt with extreme patience. Will do in the future. They have called a strike tomorrow (October 29). The bus is burning. But we want to assure that whoever commits arson and vandalism, we will take action."